Raiders vs. Saints Quick Hits

Notes and stats from the Raiders 2012 Week 11 loss to the Saints.

The Raiders dropped a 38-17 decision to the New Orleans Saints at O.co Coliseum on Sunday.

The Raiders did not score in the final two minutes of the first half, snapping a nine-game streak and marking the first time this season that the Silver and Black has not produced points within the two-minute warning.

Head Coach Dennis Allen successfully challenged a Saints completion in the first half, the fourth successful challenge by the Raiders this season and the first since Oct. 14 at Atlanta. Including the preseason, the Raiders have successfully challenged seven rulings, recording the best challenge-success rate in the league.

Individual Notes

RB Marcel Reece rushed for 103 yards and totaled 90 receiving yards, nearly becoming the first Raider since Marcus Allen to post both 100 yards rushing and receiving in a single game. Allen accomplished the feat on Sept. 7, 1986, at Denver.

Reece’s 193 yards from scrimmage were the most by a Raider since RB Michael Bush totaled 242 on Nov. 10, 2011, at San Diego.

Reece posted career highs with 19 carries and 103 yards, and is the first Raider to top 100 yards rushing in a game since Darren McFadden totaled 114 yards at Kansas City on Oct. 28.

Reece hauled in four passes for a team-high 90 yards, the second time this season that he has reached the 90-yard mark. He had a career-high 95 yards on eight receptions vs. Tampa Bay on Nov. 4.

Reece accounted for 160 of the Raiders’ 204 yards of total offense in the first half, and 193 of the team’s 404 total yards for the game.

Reece hauled in a 56-yard catch-and-run in the second quarter, helping set up the Raiders’ first score of the game. It was the fifth-longest play from scrimmage by a Raider this season.

Reece already has established single-season career highs in receptions, receiving yards, rushing attempts and rushing yards.

Palmer notched 300 passing yards for the third straight game, marking the first time in his career that he has eclipsed the mark in three consecutive contests.

It was the ninth 300-yard passing performance for Palmer in a Raider uniform, and the 26th of his career.

Palmer eclipsed 3,000 passing yards for the season, surpassing the mark for the sixth time in his career and becoming the first Raider since Kerry Collins in 2005 (3,759) to reach the milestone.

Palmer reached 3,000 yards in his 10th game of the season, marking the fastest of his career. He needed 11 games to pass 3,000 yards in 2007.

Palmer has passed for 1,094 yards over the last three games, marking his highest career total over a three-game stretch. His previous high with 1,021 yards over the final three games of the 2011 season.

Palmer tossed two touchdown passes, marking his fourth straight game with multiple scoring tosses. It is the first time since the 2010 season that Palmer has thrown for more than one touchdown in four straight games.

Palmer connected with TE Brandon Myers on a 1-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter, marking the third touchdown catch of the season for Myers.

WR Denarius Moore drew a pass-interference call in the end zone in the second quarter, setting up Palmer’s scoring toss to Myers. It was the fourth time this season that Moore has drawn a pass-interference call.

CB Joselio Hanson pressured Saints QB Drew Brees into throwing a pass that was ruled intentional grounding in the second quarter. Hanson had forced a fumble on the previous play.

WR Juron Criner recorded his first career touchdown reception, grabbing a 3-yard pass for a score in the fourth quarter.

Criner established a career high with three receptions.

K Sebastian Janikowski kicked a 40-yard field goal in the third quarter, marking his 49th straight field goal from 40 yards or less. He last missed such an attempt on Sept. 26, 2010, at Arizona.

Janikowski kicked two PATs, extending his current streak of consecutive PATs to 121.

WR Darrius Heyward-Bey totaled four catches for 69 yards, marking the fourth time in five games that he has totaled four or more receptions. He has recorded 19 catches for 342 yards and two touchdowns over that stretch.

RB Jeremy Stewart returned his first career kickoff, bringing back a second-quarter kick for 12 yards. He had two kickoff returns for 27 yards.

Stewart had a career-long 23-yard reception in the third quarter.

LB Omar Gaither, signed as a free agent on Wednesday, made his Raiders debut, seeing action on special teams.

RT Khalif Barnes returned to the starting lineup, seeing his first action since suffering a groin injury in Week 2 at Miami.

P Shane Lechler played in his 200th career game. With five more games, he will tie former Raider Dave Dalby (1972-85) for seventh on the Silver and Black’s all-time games-played list.

S Tyvon Branch was inactive due to injury (neck), snapping a 57-game starting streak that began on Sept. 14, 2009, vs. San Diego. Branch’s streak was tied for third among active NFL safeties.

DT Desmond Bryant made his second consecutive start in place of an injured Richard Seymour (hamstring). It marked Bryant’s second start of the season and the 12th of his career.

CB Coye Francies had a 30-yard kickoff return, falling just 1 yard short of his career long established last week at Baltimore.

OL Tony Bergstrom saw his first significant action of the season, as an extra offensive lineman.